Feed-regulating device for evaporators.



R. MELLOR. FEED BEGULATING DEVICE FOR EVAPORATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 12,1910,

Patented May 2, 1911.

STEAM INLE 3&7

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

M RALPH MELLOR, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IEED-REGULA'LING DEVICE FOR EVAPORATORS.

991 ,342, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented LIay 2, 1911,

Application filed February 12, .1910. Serial 110. 543,541. T0 alt whom it may concern: I film or flash type evaporator, however, work- 50 c it known that I, RALPH MELLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Feed-Regulating Devices for Evaporators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus designed for evaporating liquids; being especially apssoon as this occurs, the actual evaporatplicableto evaporators of the f climbing mg surface is reduced and as evaporation in film type, although not necessarily limited pan number one becomes less, due 'not only 60 to such apparatus, and the object of my into the fall in steam pressure but also due to vent-ion is to regulate the .feed of the liquid the reduction in eflicient evaporating surundergoing concentration. This and other face, evaporation in the remaining pan or features of my invention willbc fully point pans will be decreased in the same way.

ed out hereinafter, reference being had to h n the steampressure is increased, the 65 the accompanying drawings, in which: mass ofjuice already in pan number one Figure l, is a view of a single evaporating and partially filling the tubes of the same is effect of the Kcstner type, to which the feed P be ani ally prtpected from them,

regulating device forming the subjectof my flg a large flow of thin liquor into an i ti may b applied Fi 2 i a number two, and so on throughout the 0 or 70 tional view of the feed valve employed for P resulting in a discharge at the final the evaporating efiect shown in Fig. 1, the outlet of bo y Of'thm iq T0 1 d operation of which is controlled by my imthese QOndltwnS, when the steam pressure is proved regulating device, and Figs. 3, 4 and ledllced from y 031158, h ds'hwld be 5, are sectional views illustrating different propprtionately reduced. The Object of my 75 operative positions of a valve employed in mventwn therefore s to p oduce auniform connection with the feed regulating device 0f dlscharge y 0 gllla g the ing in multiple, the conditions are quite different, and when the steam pressure, for example, falls the feed remaining the same, the

evaporation in pan number one immediately decreases; the result being that the tubes, in 65 a the case of an evaporator of the Kest-ner forming the subject of my invention. upply f l quor that pan number one on the It may be readily understood in the operaone hand Cannot become flooded: and the tion of any form of evaporator, whether of other hand cannot become p the-film-chmbing or standard type, that it eferring to the drawings, lrepresentsan is extremely easy to efl'cct regulation if conevaporating effect of the Kestner type, in ditions remain constant. In other words, if Wlllch 1 101 is d o a ultfl hamber? the steam pressure, vacuum, and temperature at the lower part of the same from whlch it of feed juice remain the same, a fixed openrlses through a seriespf vapor heated tubes ing of the feed valve and a fixed opening of fi lly overfiOWjllg mtoan upper chamber the discharge valve will mean uniform den- 4 W mp r wn of the S eam and l qu d sity of discharge; such condition bein as mavbe effected bysu1tablemeans;thel1qu1d 4O nearly ideal as it is ossible to accomp PflSSll'lg through 811 independent discharge f any of these conditions vary, the density P P t0 y desired P0111t to h of the discharge will vary. In standard 'fi' m th e a m ltipl ect appaevaporators or in any evaporator having :1. Mills, Wi h p Steam may P1158 to large volume of juice, a variation in steam i hefltlllg Space of the next P t0 3 Suit 46 pressure for instance will not immediately b c nd n be othe wise d sposed of.

' Controlling the feed to the eva orator is 96 v a valve 8, clearly. illustrated in 1g. 2, and governor for smoothing out or rendering 1n--' mounted within a castin 9. This valve is of the balanced type and t e shell or casting 9 is provided with a suitable inlet 10 and outi I suitable bolts and nuts 18 and 19. The liquid passing said valve and entering the tubes 3, therefore, may act upon one surface of the diaphragm, while liquid of another character may act upon the other surface of the diaphragm; balancing the valve, whereby a.

constant and uniform feed to the tubes may be effected.

The liquid on the other side of the diaphragm is disposed in a stand pipe 20 suitably connected to the cap-plate 17 and the height of such liquid may be controlled by a valve 25 of such character than when in one position more liquid from a suitable source and under sufiicient head may be admitted into said stand pipe via the connection 26; when in another position the liquid may be tapped or drained from the stand pipe via the connection 27, and when in a third position inlet and outlet of liquid to and from said stand pipe is cut ofi. The upper end' of this stand pipe is connected with the vapor space of the separating chamber 4, in the present instance by means of a pipe 26. 'The inner (or under) side of the diaphragm is in connection with the liquid in the evaporator, and the upper (orouter) side of the diaphragm is under constantpressure due to a definite head of liquid in the stand pipe 20. In addition to this the barometricre'ssure on either side of the diaphragm is balanced; the space above the diaphragm being connected with the vapor 's ace in the chamber above ,the tubes 3;

t e space below the diaphragm (or its inner side) being also in communication with said vapor space through the volume of liquid in the chamber 4 and lower ends of the tubes. Itwill then be seen that any variation in the barometric pressure in pan number one will not affect the diaphragm in either direction. The diaphragm will yield in one direction when the liquid head inthe pan overpowers the liquid head above the diaphragm, and conversely. As the diaphragm moves in one direction, the valve closes; when it moves in the opposite direction the valve opens.

Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to vary the height to which the liquor in the pan is allowed to rise, and this may be accompl shed by adding to or reducing the head of liquid above (or on the outer side of) the diaphragm. One way of accomplishing this result is by means of a threeway cock such, for instance, as shown in the sectional views, Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and indicated at 25, the casing of such valve bein so arranged that one opening connects witfi a pipe 26 from a suitable source (not shown) of water under sufficient head to fill the desired space in the stand-pipe; another opening connects with a pipe 27 leading to a vacuum space or spaces at a lower pressure than the barometric pressure above the diaphragm, and the third connects with the stand-pipe above the diaphragm. In lieu of a single cock, three independent valves or cocks, or, in fact, two, might be employed to accomplish the same purpose. In instances where it may be undesirable or inconvenient to directly connect thestand pipe 20 with asource of liquid (or water) supply, the regulation of the column of liquid (or water) within said stand pipe may be accomplished by the use of a piston or plunger-fitting said stand pipe or a. pipe communicating therewith and movable therein to raise or lower the effective head of such column of liquid. In such case special provision may be made for introducing liquid or-water into said stand-pipe independently of the supply connection shown in the drawings.

The line indicates the approximate height of the liquid in the stand-pipe and the liquid undergoing treatment in the tubes 3. The stand-pipe may be provided with a gage glass 31; couplings 32 being provided to connect the same therewith. A plurality of couplings are shown in case it may be desired to shift the gage glass when changing the height to which the liquid may rise in the stand-pipe. A thermometer may be attached to the coupling disconnected from the' gage glass. In lieu of a gage glass, a ressure gage may be employed to indicate height of liquid in stand-pipe and'tubes.

The operation of my feed valve depends upon the rate of evaporation in pan number one, and is under complete control of the operator, but is independent of the variations in feed, operation of the pumps, and changes of pressure. or vacuum of said pan number one.

end in engagement with a toothed rod whereby the valve may be operated by hand at any desired time. This mechanism is designed to be easily operable so that any movement of the diaphragm due to changes ment in either direction will not be retarded by the toothed rod. .There may be, of course, considerable play between-the teeth of the "valve stem and those of the rod.

I i The advantages of my improved safety feed and densitycontrol valve are: preven- The valve stem is shown with a toothed in pressures acting upon the same will be transmitcd to the valve stem whoseanovetion of flooding; prevention of change in rate of feed due to variation in feed pump or vacuum; control of the percentage of evaporation; control of rate of feed of liquid undergoing treatment, and prevention of pulsations in a film cv. porator.

I claim:

1. In an evaporator, means for feeding liquid thereto, a valve controlling such feed, a diaphragm connected to said valve and in engagement on one side with the liquid fed after it has passed said valve, and means for applying liquid to balance the head on the opposite side of said diaphragm, said latter body of liquid being in communication with the evaporator and subject to the varying degrees of pressure exerted therein.

2. In an evaporator, means for feeding liquid thereto, a balanced valve controlling such feed, a diaphragm connected to said valve and in engagement on one side with the liquid fed after it has passed said valve, and means-for applying liquid to balance the head on the opposite side of said diaphragm, both bodies of -liquid being in communication with the evaporator and subject to the varying degrees of pressure exerted therein. I In an evaporator, means for feeding liquid thereto, a valve controlling such feed, a diaphragm connected to said valve and in engagement on one side with the liquid fed after it has assed said valve, means for -applying liquid to balance the head on the opposite side of said diaphragm, said liquid being in communication with the evaporator and subject to the varying degrees of pressure e erted therein, and means for con trolling the volume of such liquid.

4. In an evaporator, means for controlling and regulating the feed of liquid thereto comprising a. balanced valve, 9. diaphra- V. carr1ed -by'- said valveand in contact with Lthe liquid undergoing treatment after it has passed said valve, a separating chamber forming part of the evaporator, means for "applying liquid to the opposite side of said d1aphragm, and means for placing such liquid in communication with the vapor chamber ofthe evaporator. P

5. In an evaporator, means for controlling and regulating the-'feed of liquid thereto comprising a, lanced valve, a diaphragm carried by said valve and 1n contact with the liquid undergoing treatment-after it hns passed said valve, a separating chamber yiorming part of the evaporator ineans 91 'appl ing liquid-to. the oppositeslde fsa d' ,"dnipgna' gnn,"mea us for lacing such liquid, in-

-{he evaporator, and means for controlling communication with t 1e vapor -l .amber of the volume of such liquid.

' 6. "In an evaporating apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, a conduit for supplying liquid thereto, a valve controlling the flow an' eqi' alizin'g pi pe connectin of such liquid, a chamber connected to the conduit, a diaphragm spanningsaid chamber and connected to said valve, means for maintaininga column of liquid of controllable height in contact with the outer side of said diaphragm, a separating chamber form-- ing part of said e\ 'aporating apparatus, and

means for placing such column of liquid in communication with said separating chamber.

7. In an evaporating apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, aconduit .for supplying liquid thereto, a valve controlling the flow ofsuch liquid, a chamber connected to the crating means adapted to be operated in one direction by the pressure of liquid within the evaporator and in theiother direction by, the pressure, of a stationary column of liquid of controlled height, and means for balancing out the disturbing influence of the vacuum'within saidevaporator upon said pressures.

9. The combination with a vacuum evaporator having means for feeding liquid there to, of a feed controlling device, saidfeed controlling means comprising a connected valve and diaphragm, and said diaphragm being exposed on' the one side to the pressure of liquid within the evaporatorvand on the other side to the pressurefof a station-- ary column of-liqu'id 'o'f'cpntrolled height,

and also comprising aneqpalizing pipe estahli'shing communication between the chain bcr containing said stationary liquid column and the vacuum space of said evaporator.

10. In an evaporator, the combination of a. vacuum evaporating chamber, with a feed conduit for supplying liquid thereto, a valve cont-rollingth flow (bf-liquid through said conduit, :1 twoartchamber having its inner part in open re a-tion to said conduit, a diaphragm connected .to and. controlling said valve and spannin saidtwQ-part chamber, means for establis ing and maintaining a column. of liquid,ofrontrolled height, said the-outer part of said two-part chamber, and such meanswith the vacuum space of t e evaporator chamber. i

11. In an evaporator, means for controlling and regulatm the feed of li uid thereto com rising a bafiinced valve, 9. iaphra carric by said valve and 'in contact w th means being 111 open communication with the liquid undergoing treatment after it has In testimony whereof, I have signed my ,passed said valve, :1- separating chamber name to this specification,- in the presence of forming part of the evaporator, means for two subscribing witnesses. applying liquid to the opposite side of said RALPH MELLOR.

5 diaphragm, and means for placing such \Vitnesses:

liquid in communication with said separat- MURRAY C. Bonm, ing chamber. \VM. A. BARR. 

